Control
by SpideyFan914
Summary: Yet another AU Spider-Man. But you haven't read a story quite like this one ever before. 'Nuff said. Rated T for drugs and violence. Read and Review!
1. Question

"Well, Parker, what do you say?" I told him I was eager to accept the offer which had just been given.

"When do I begin?"

"That is up to Doctor Octavius. He will be your boss from now on."

"What? But I thought...." So much for lab assisting the CEO of Oscorp Science and Research Facility. Apparently, I'd be lab assisting the second chair, which made me the equivalent of the sidekick's sidekick.

"Peter, you didn't honestly believe that on your first day, you'd make it to the board, did you?" Norman Osborn asked. That's right: Norman Osborn. Considered by some to be the greatest mind of this century, head of the most expansive science corporation in all of New York City, and my best friend's father. Harry pulled a few strings to help me meet his dear old dad so I could get a kick-off into the pro-league. "Frankly," he continued, "you should be proud to even be getting to help Octavius. You're a college student, not a professional."

That hurt. I guess he was right and all – I wouldn't be graduating for another month or so – but I was still hoping for a start fresh out of school, or while still in school, as I happened to try.

I don't know if he noticed my disappointment or if he just wanted to show off, but Osborn suddenly went off on a tangent. "Say, Parker, do you want to see my latest creation? Of course you do. Come over here and I'll demonstrate."

Getting out of his chair now, he went on, "You see, we do all kinds of work here at Oscorp. We do research, build appliances, discover medicines, create weapons – you name it. Well, this one's going to the military. And let me tell you – it's astonishing." I didn't even know if it was legal for Osborn to be showing me a military super-weapon, but I was curious.

Osborn continued rambling on about performance enhancers and stuff like that – I had heard it all before – as he typed something on a keypad. A laser popped out and scanned his black eye glistening with passion. "Welcome, Norman Osborn," a computerized voice announced, and a safe opened up. Inside, I could see loads of gizmos, most of which seemed either broken or incomplete, and a few tubes here and there. Osborn reached for one of the tubes, with a steamy liquid – or a gas, I couldn't really tell – bubbling inside.

"This," Osborn said, "is it. One drop will give you all of the above for one to three hours."

"Is it done?"

"All but the contracts."

It was then that Otto Octavius walked into the large round office. It was more of a den, really, than an office. I mean, it wasn't just big – it was _big_. And it had this huge window from which you could see the whole city. I swear, it was like being in the president's office, or maybe the kingpin's, actually. Either way, it was just really, really _big_. And empty.

But anyway, Octavius and I chatted a few minutes. He was almost done with his current project, which I could help him with, and then in a few days, we would discuss the next one. He was happy to have a partner – his old one, Caroline something, was a slacker, and he was hoping I'd be different. Well, I was a scientist, I told him. I'm a kid, sure, 21, but I'm also a scientist. And I wouldn't be a kid for much longer. Graduating next month.

Octavius wore a huge, goofy grin when he turned to leave, and then Osborn called out. "Otto, can I speak to you for a second." They walked outside and left me, alone, in Osborn's huge important office, with an open safe, formula on the table. I don't know why I did it – maybe I just love science so much I wanted to know how it worked, maybe I was just still mad at Osborn like a kid – either way, the point is that I took a little tube of my own and slipped the tiniest portion of Osborn's into mine. It wasn't that gaseous, more liquid, though it seemed like it was maybe supposed to be in gas form, but that Osborn had it pressurized for containment.

I finished the procedure right before Osborn got back in. He didn't see me, though.

And I was done for the day. I'd start work tomorrow after classes. That was that.

Well, the night came and went. Day broke in and I went to class in that small, five-row room with Doctor Warren. Nice guy, bit edgy though. Rumors that he's a creep, but it doesn't matter to what he's teaching. Whatever that was. I don't really remember.

I was too busy in my front-row seat dodging spitballs from football star Flash Thompson in the right corner of the room – upper-right – who was giggling away with his girlfriend, Liz Allen, until this blonde girl I like, Gwen Stacy, who I'm sort of unofficially dating, gave him that "look" thing – she's really good at that – so he turned to pick on the other front-row nerd, Herman Shultz – that one doesn't even have someone unofficial to give the look and I guess I feel bad for him, but hey, once past high school, what're you gonna do, right? – and then Harry Osborn, who sits two seats behind me, was also bugging about the rent, and I couldn't help but sneer at that glory-hog photographer Eddie Brock, who was attentively listening to his own girl, Glory Grant in the second-to-last row – why is it always the guy who has the girl, anyway? – and Gwen's friend, Mary Jane Watson, one seat back from me, was reading this book I started once, so I was thinking about why I didn't get back to it, and then Flash's second-from-the-back-row stooge, Kenny Kong, started throwing paper airplanes at me until third-row Randy Robertson, alongside his own girlfriend, Felicia Hardy, told him off that he was acting like a high school student – and a freshman, no less – and Kong flipped his lid and attracted Warren's attention and then the bell rang.

Anyway, after class, I saw a couple I hadn't seen in a while: my Uncle Ben and Aunt May. You see, my parents died when I was four and these two raised me ever since. They're to me sort of like your parents are to you, I suppose. Well, I had been rooming with Harry this past year, so I hadn't seen them in the vacation. I don't know why they chose to come today specifically – I hadn't told them about the job or anything – but they did.

My Uncle Ben was a wise and philosophical man. He found good in everybody and couldn't comprehend evil. Or maybe he just didn't believe in it. Either way, he saw everyone as equal, despite their race, persuasion, or even their past.

I remember this one time when I overheard him talking with a cop, Captain George Stacy – he's Gwen's dad, yeah. Anyway, Uncle Ben and Captain Stacy were talking about some cat burglar – Black Fox, I think he said? – well, Stacy had caught him and thrown him away. Guy had robbed some couple dozen museums and such, gone off with loads of high-priced antiquities. Well, then Uncle Ben said, "Maybe you should just talk to him. He's probably just upset about something." And then Stacy said, "No, he's just plain greedy." And then Uncle Ben said, "Well, maybe you should let me talk to him." Guy broke out the next day.

My Aunt May was an elderly woman who always sought to consol those in need. She couldn't stand anyone being upset about anything, so she tried to make sure everyone was happy.

Once, for example, she saw a booze-addict plopped over a dumpster and asked him what was wrong. He said he was upset about being sober and she told him there were better things in the world than alcohol. So she grabbed him by the fingerless glove, dragged him into Starbucks, and treated him to a coffee. Well, the people at Starbucks owe her a big thanks, 'cause every time I'm buying myself a bagel, there's that guy chugging his coffee.

But, anyway, these two, Uncle Ben and Aunt May, ganged up on me after class before I could even leave the room. "_Peter_, where have you _been?_" "_Peter_, how _are _things?" "_Peter_, we haven't _seen _you in so _long_." I could just tell that my cheeks were turning red.

Flash Thompson giggled somewhere behind me. Aunt May looked sharply at him, turning purple in the face, while Uncle Ben just stared at him blankly. I didn't see Flash's reaction to this, but I could guarantee he wasn't about to back off.

Didn't make a difference either way.


	2. Research

The gun first was pointed the back of my Aunt May's head. The masked man yelled at everyone to get down – he only needed to get something from Warren. Naturally, we listened.

Me, Aunt May, and Uncle Ben huddled under one desk, I saw Gwen, Mary Jane, and Harry under another, Herman Shultz under his own, having never gotten up, Randy and Felicia were together with Eddie and Glory nearby, Flash, Kong, and Liz all ducked under the chair in the upper-right – Flash was scared, by the way – it was funny – and everyone else who I don't know by name got into their own cliques under the desks.

The man pointed his gun at Professor Warren and said to give him something or another – let's just say he said "gimme all your money". Warren told him that he would cooperate if the man promised not to hurt anyone. The man claimed that he already had, though I'm not sure I could remember this.

"What an awful man," I heard my Aunt May whisper. "Shouldn't somebody do something?"

Warren led the man to his closet in the corner opposite Flash. He took something out and began backing out towards the door on the other side of the room. I recognized what he had, then. It was a ring with a diamond. Warren talked about it all the time because it was all he had to remember his late wife by.

I told my aunt and uncle this.

"You mean that he's going to walk out with that poor man's entire life? Why doesn't anybody do something? Shouldn't we call campus security?" I told Aunt May that we probably would after he left. No reason making any risky moves now; Warren wouldn't want anyone to risk their own li-

Uncle Ben was up.

"Excuse me, young man, please hear me out," he said in a kind, gentle voice. I tugged at his leg to get him back down. We were right next to the door, and the masked man was at the door, so it was point-blank range. "I don't think you realize this, but that ring is very important to its owner. Please, if you would just politely return it and walk away, then we can all forget that this ever happened."

The man just stared, his gun pointed at Uncle Ben's chest. As I looked around, I saw that everyone was looking the other way. I can't quite explain it, but I wanted to hate them for that. Here was my uncle, sticking up to this man like none of them could – with kindness and compassion – and they couldn't even watch.

The masked man himself, meanwhile, seemed almost taken aback by Uncle Ben, unsteady and not knowing quite what to do. "I know you are confused," my uncle continued, "but we all are. And robbing another won't solve any of your problems. Talk with me. Talk with all of us. We'll help you." The man looked around the room, as I had moments ago, and saw the fear spreading and met the indifference to his own fate.

It wasn't as loud as I had always imagined; my heartbeat drowned out everything but the thud on the floor.

---

_Gas or liquid?_ He had run off after the shot, almost forgetting the diamond ring. Security hadn't gotten him yet.

_Drink or inject?_ I myself left for the apartment. I couldn't stand the scene and needed to get away. I needed something – anything – and I suppose that that's why I did it.

I took the sample I had borrowed from Osborn and poured it into a syringe. That syringe I injected directly into the vein in my left arm. Call me a druggie if you want, but it's not exactly a hallucinogen I was taking or anything and it wasn't exactly addictive or anything – heck, I only had a little bit anyway, so even if I wanted to, how could I get more?

_He's dead._ That's all I was thinking. _He's dead because you couldn't do anything to stop it. Or wouldn't. Or something like that. He's dead because he's the good person in this world of rot. He's dead because that's what good deeds deserve._

_He's dead because he had a chance to stop it, the power to stop it. And he's dead because with great power comes great responsibility. That's what he always said. Uncle Ben, yeah. A father more than anything else._

So, yeah, he's dead.

It was really gruesome – most of the other kids in the class were walking out really slowly. Not me. I ran. When he needed me most, when he was on his death-bed, when there would never be another chance, I ran.

And I cut Octavius' thing. Who needs him, anyway? It's a _good_ job, yeah, but still, Osborn ripped me off.

So, yeah, anyway, I took the syringe to my left arm – right in the joint, like they do at doctor's offices – and stabbed with all my might. It didn't hurt, though.

But I do remember seeing a flash of colors – mainly primary colors: red, blue – there was green in there as well, I think. Yeah, that's right. A lot of green. But red and blue were still there. Red and blue and green. Red and blue. Green. Red, blue. Green.

---

The next thing I remember, I found myself naked in a warehouse. Yeah, naked, no biggie though, I don't care. Didn't get what happened much, but I looked around. No clothes, they must've been somewhere else. Thought I saw a shadow jump away in the distance, but I didn't get a good look. Probably just a trick of the light.

That's when I noticed something else: the sun was setting. Or rising. Couldn't tell which way was which from in there, so I couldn't tell east or west either.

Oh, and there was blood on the floor. All over. In a stream. I followed the stream. Found the guy who killed my uncle. Bit of a shock, I didn't much care, though. Point was that he had clothes.

Clothes on, I was able to leave the warehouse and look around. Sun was setting, by the way. I didn't take much note of it. The point was that there was one of those middle-of-the-street TV things. You know, where they run the news on like thirty screens so you think you're looking through a bug's eye.

Well, that's where I saw it: Spider-Man and the Green Goblin.


	3. Hypothesis

A monstrous beast with green skin – or scales maybe, it was unclear – galloped across the screen, taking leaps which cleared buildings. He stopped in front of a man – that's when the either guy showed up.

Real weirdo, this one. He wore tights – blue tights – and a mask – a red mask. He also had a little black spider printed on his chest. Well, he jumped out of seemingly nowhere and kicked that other dude – the green dude – smack in his chest. Green guy stumbles back and tights guy goes for a second hit. Green guy blocks and knocks him away and tights guy kicks off a building to gain momentum at him.

In other words, huge brawl. Spanned streets and districts. That one guy was trying to escape too. Oh, and I recognized him. Well, I didn't recognize _him_, but I recognized his clothes – they were the same ones I was wearing – my uncle's killer! He was running away from one of them – I couldn't tell which was chasing him, though.

Well, eventually, they neared the area I was in. Green guy smacked a building and tore off the wall. Green guy threw wall at tights guy. Tights guy dodged, but the building green guy broke up was falling down. Onto a woman and her kid. Tights guy jumped in and shoved them out of the way. Tights guy held up wall.

It was scary, honestly – to see him hold up that mass of bricks all by himself. But he did. And once he placed it back down gently, he resumed fighting green guy. And that killer dude – you know, the one who murdered my uncle in cold blood – he ran into the warehouse. They followed. Camera people didn't.

"For those of you who are just tuning in," the reporter said, "this is actual footage from a spectacular event which took place just an hour ago. The green hulking beast is now being called the Green Goblin, and the man dressed head-to-toe in red-and-blue is coming to be known as Spider-Man. Their whereabouts at this time are currently unknown. This is Betty Brant reporting."

Then they just started the footage again from the beginning. I guess I was the only one who knew the rest.

---

I had dinner with Aunt May that night. She was upset about Uncle Ben, I could tell, but that kind of goes without saying. She tried to act like nothing was wrong, though, like everything was normal. Why do people always do that? Uncle Ben just _died_ and she's acting like it's all the same.

Well, we had a nice chat, I suppose. I told her about the job I got at Oscorp and of course received a big "Oh, _Peter_, that's _wonderful!_" from her.

It was really, really silent. Like awkward silence. Like when something has to be said, but no one wants to say it – that kind of awkward silence. So I said something, "It's my fault."

That's what I said. Yeah, I know. More awkward. And more silence. Not the same thing – not awkward silence. But awkward and silent. So I just kept talking.

"I should have taken the two of you and ran – we were right next to the door, we could've made it. I shouldn't have told you guys what the ring meant to Warren. I should've stuck up to the burglar myself. Or at least backed up what Uncle Ben was saying. It's my fault, Aunt May. I'm sorry."

Silence again. Less awkward now, but still silence. I hate silence. It's.... I can't think of the word. It's just silence. But this time Aunt May spoke.

"Peter, shut up."

Silence. As always. Silence. She couldn't just follow through with one complete thought, she had to have silence.

"Your uncle was a great man. He was willing to die to expose goodness within. He believed in goodness within. A lot more than most of us can say."

"He once told me that with great power comes great responsibility."

"He's said many great things, Peter. He was a great man. And he died a great man. Don't even mourn for him. He died happy, so why mourn? He would've wanted it this way."

"But Aunt May, he _failed_. He tried to get through to that burglar and he _failed_. The burglar _shot _him! _He's dead!_"

Silence.

"The burglar died too, by the way." Aunt May lifted her tearing wrinkled face towards me. "Yeah, I saw it on the news. Those two super-guys killed him. I'm happy."

Aunt May just stared. More silence. Finally she got up and walked over to me. And slapped me right across the cheek.

And collapsed on the floor. Tears rolling down her face.

The doorbell rang.

I opened the door to see the Stacys standing right outside. They must've figured it'd be polite to come over, especially with Gwen having been there and all of that stuff.

"Hello, Peter. Gwen told me what happened," the Captain droned. I could tell he was getting weaker each time he needed to say something like that, which, since he's a New York City cop, is a lot.

"I'm sorry, Peter," Gwen wept, throwing her arms around me.

"Don't be. There was nothing you could do." I don't quite know what I meant by that. But it's a cliché and she was my sort of unofficial girlfriend.

---

I went back with Gwen to her apartment. Mary Jane, her roommate, went out that night, so we had the room to ourselves. We talked about everything we could talk about. Except Uncle Ben. We avoided that topic.

So we talked about my new job and school and graduation and that lousy farewell song and the Beatles and insects and spiders and Spider-Man and the Green Goblin and monsters and comic books and homeless people and Darfur and Bush and Obama and Guantanamo Bay and terrorists and Muslims and Virgin Mary and pregnancy without sex and transvestites and gays and cosmetics and obsessions and OCD and phobias and arachnophobia and Spider-Man and the Green Goblin and midgets and dwarves and MMORPGs and fantasies and Harry Potter and literature and Shakespeare and drama and musicals and music and ACDC and The Itsy Bitsy Spider and Spider-Man and the Green Goblin and St. Patrick's Day and saints and goodness and Spider-Man and the Green Goblin and devils and bugs and Spider-Man and the Green Goblin and Spider-Man and the Green Goblin all while eating a homemade strawberry cake. Then we sunk into the bed and ultimately fell asleep.

---

I didn't have a class the next morning, so when I woke up, I got dressed and went straight to work with Dr. Octavius, working on my excuse for cutting the prior day. But as soon as I got there, he started on his own rant, gitty as always.

"Oh, Peter, there you are," he said in his usual excited tone. "I'm sorry I missed yesterday" – lucky me – "but I caught up watching – I'm sure you heard – those 'superhumans', Spider-Man and the Green Goblin! I had to go there as soon as I heard – oh, I'm so, so sorry I left you in the dark – I can be such an idiot sometimes when I get eager!"

"It's okay, Octavius," I sighed.

"Well, you wanna hear?"

"Hear what?"

"What I figured out from observing them!"

"You figured out something?"

"I sure did! So, whaddaya say – wanna hear?"

"Um, sure, I guess."

"Okay, so, y'see, there I was, staring at them both. Well, firstly this Spider-Man fella – so, y'know, people are questioning whether or not he's human – he definitely is – same shape and structure and everything. As far as the enhanced abilities are concerned – or powers, or whatever you call them – I've seen him display immense strength and speed, fascinating reflexes and agility, improved jumping capabilities, etc. Well, they all seem to revolve around the basic principles of improving physical features.

"That Green Goblin character is a bit more confusing. No one even knows what it is – just that it has great strength and speed and agility – oh, and it jumps like hell – that too. Well, I paid close attention to it and noticed the way it moved and how it flexed its muscles – even its apparent intelligence – and have concluded that it appears human.

"Oh, I know that sounds crazy, but think about it. Steroids are known for increasing strength to the point of physical alteration – perhaps an unknown form of these _could _turn a man – or woman – damn that sexism – into that Goblin! Well, remember how Spider-Man also seems to portray bizarre physical feats similar to the Green Goblin's? He wears a mask, so we can't quite see what's underneath, but I'm willing to bet that he may be taking the same drug – or at least a similar one – as the Green Goblin! See, they're connected! It makes sense! Connected people always want to fight each other! See!

"But, considering the vast difference between their physical potential, I'm thinking that the Green Goblin has probably taken much more of the drug, or perhaps in a different fashion. Of course, assuming the latter, Spider-Man may very well _be _normal under the mask – there are loads of reasons he would want to wear a mask – consumption/injection of unapproved drugs being the most probable.

"Well, now for the most interesting part – y'see, all things considered, especially the clear scientific advancements of the steroids these men are taking, I'm ninety-nine percent _certain_ that both of them – Spider-Man _and_ the Green Goblin – work at or have connections to Oscorp!"

My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. I was beginning to think a bit about it myself. Could it really be true?

"We'll have to wait and see – the physical changes in the Green Goblin will probably keep him from work for a while, so let's pay close attention to attendance. As for Spider-Man, even if he does have a normal face, he'll also have to cut a few times to fight the Goblin! Well, Peter, whaddaya think?"

I had sat there in awe for the past few minutes listening to Octavius' ranting hypothesis. I couldn't help but realize, though, the truth behind what he said. I was amazed and frightened at the same time. "Yeah," I told him, "let's do that." But I didn't tell him my own extension of his epiphany. I didn't tell him what I had suddenly figured out.

I didn't tell him how I had come realize that I was Spider-Man.


	4. Procedure

I was Spider-Man.

I didn't know anything else at that moment of epiphany – only that I was Spider-Man.

It made sense – too much sense, almost – and I was Spider-Man.

But why would I do it? I'm no martyr. I'm just a college senior looking forward to a long post-graduation life without Flash. Oh, and my uncle died. That's right. The one who told me that with great power comes great responsibility. And now I was Spider-Man.

Well, I guess that's that. I wanted to fulfill his dream. So I was Spider-Man.

But I still had my own dreams – I was still Peter Parker, right?

Yeah, of course. That's what the mask's for, obviously. I was Spider-Man, I was Peter Parker. Too separate entities in the same body.

Then again, I only became Spider-Man with the formula. He probably wouldn't be able to resurface without it.

But was that really all that bad? I mean, who needs to black out for hours at a time just so that some dude in tights could save people.

_With great power comes great responsibility_. Yeah, okay, fine. I'll do it. I'll take the formula. I don't know how, but I'll get more. I need more – no, the _city_ needs more. The _city_ needs Spider-Man.

While I was thinking all of that, I helped Octavius work on his little contraption – some sort of harness with extendable arms. Not the best, though, if you ask me – the controls were way too complex for anyone short of a certified genius to understand. Heck, I'm not even sure if Octavius understood them completely....

---

Well, anyway, I eventually had to go to class – engineering class, to be specific – and I told Octavius I'd be back later that day. He was almost done with his arms, really – estimated tomorrow. I had come in just in time to catch the end, he said.

Well, engineering was a bore. The only guys I know in there were Kenny Kong, Glory Grant, and Herman Shultz. I hated the teacher, Adrian Toomes, too. He worked at Oscorp, actually, but had a really low job. An old man who had never been able to move up in the world. That's Toomes for you.

Well, today, he talked about some lame science fair. It sounded like high school – I mean, seriously, who does a science fair in college? But it was also being judged by Norman Osborn and I figured it would look good there. Plus, the five hundred grand prize for first place seemed rather appealing.

So I figured what the heck, I'll do it, when Herman Shultz suddenly fell over his desk after getting hit in the back of the head by Kong's football. I swear, that guy isn't just a jock, but he's definitely got issues with acting his age.

---

Well, I finally got back to Oscorp late in the afternoon. Octavius was jumping off walls as usual. He had a newspaper clipping in his hand which he rushed to show me. It was a page 12 Daily Bugle article written by Ned Leeds in January. It regarded some wrestler who called himself "The Scarlet Spider" and dominated in the ring.

As I read further in, I realized that I had seen it before – Gwen showed it to me once a few months ago and we were intrigued by the stunts he performed. The Scarlet Spider had come out of the audience to challenge some wrestler – I don't know their names – "the Crusher", was it? – well, whatever his name was, he was supposedly a big winner and a heavy-class wrestler. The Scarlet Spider arrived in his head-to-toe costume which revealed only the color of his skin and eyes – white and brown, respectively. He continued challenging as many wrestlers as he could – mainly heavyweights even though he was a lightweight – and defeated them all without breaking a sweat. He had displayed tremendous strength, speed, and agility on that day. Then he disappeared never to be seen again.

I knew what Octavius was thinking: a clue. But I told him that it wasn't – Gwen and I had figured out all of his tricks and it was just a publicity stunt to get people interested. At most, the Scarlet Spider only inspired Spider-Man's arachnid theme. Octavius seemed greatly disappointed, so I told him about the science fair to cheer him up.

"Perfect!" Octavius exclaimed. "I'll help!"

"What?"

"I got no ideas for my next project, Peter, so as long as nothing comes up, we can make it together!"

"Isn't that cheating?"

"Do you really think that there's anyone who isn't asking their dad for help? C'mon, it'll be fun!"

I agreed, sort of by force. But I did have an idea for the invention: a sort of super-glue which you can wear on wrist and shoot out of a nozzle. Maybe Spider-Man would find it lying around Oscorp. Octavius ate it all up.

"But, anyway, these arms are almost done. Just need to work on the flexibility of its hands a bit. Peter, could you go ask Norman for some more red circuits?" I told him I would.

Well, Norman wasn't in his office at the time, so I checked his lab. It was right through this door on the east wall – same wall as the safe, actually – I was very conscious of where that safe was. Of course, Norman wasn't in his lab, either. I figured he was a busy man and could be anywhere.

That's when I saw it: on one table, fresh off the Bunsen, was that smoky formula I had taken the day before. Osborn was brewing more of it. Lucky me.

Of course, I didn't know if it was finished or not – I didn't even know how long it took to make – so I figured I'd better leave it. It just wasn't worth the risk. I mean, my fingerprints were all over and since the doors weren't locked, Osborne would probably be right back.

So I took the formula and ran.

---

Octavius wasn't that upset that I couldn't find Osborn. He just decided to phone another worker and ask if they knew. So he called some guy named Curt Connors. Well, Connors' wife answered instead.

"Hello, Martha, it's Otto," Octavius began, "how's Billy?.... Oh, that's great!.... Well, wish him good luck for me – by the way, is Curt there?.... Oh, well I just wanted to see if he knew where Norman was – do you know when he'll be back?.... What?.... Really?.... Gee, that's strange – very unlike Curt.... Martha, are you all right?.... I see.... Oh well, thank you for your time – and best of wishes finding Curt!"

By the time he hung up, I was staring at him, waiting to find out what had happened.

"The plot thickens," he declares. "Our leading biologist, Dr. Curt Connors, has mysteriously vanished as of yesterday sometime around noon."

---

The hours passed – we found some red circuits in Octavius' desk ("Oh, silly me!" he had said) – and the arms neared completion.

"All right, Peter, now just to complete some final steps. We should be able to finish tonight – your help has sped up the process greatly. But it's getting late – you have to go home eventually, Peter. I'll finish up these things and tomorrow we'll start on your webs – a brilliant idea, by the way!" I didn't argue. I had my own experiments to perform, after all.

I mean, yeah sure, it _seemed_ like I was Spider-Man, but it's the scientific way to test with multiple trials. I was a bit tired, but this was more important.

So when I got back to the apartment, I prepared a bit of the formula – saving most of it, of course – as I had the day before and told Harry I was going over Gwen's. So I left the apartment and injected myself with the serum.

It happened exactly as it had the last time – a flash of colors – red and blue and green and red and blue and green and red and blue and red and blue and green and green and green and red and blue and red and blue and green – and I woke up naked under some rubble.

I didn't know exactly where I was, but I could see the sun rising above the horizon in the distance – I had been out all night. But I wasn't tired. Heck, I was less tired than the night before. I guess my Peter Parker persona gets rest when I transform into Spider-Man.

I wondered why I kept showing up naked. Then I remembered the costume. I didn't really know where it came from, but I guess that the first time I transformed, my Spider-Man persona had made it. I didn't know if he wore the same one that night or a different one, but clearly Spider-Man must have ditched the attires before he turns back into me.

I decided it would be a good idea to figure out where I was. Under rubble. Okay, I'll admit it – it hurt. But whatever. I seemed to be in a crumbling wall. It was fine now, though – the damage was done and it wouldn't break up any further. I was on the outside of it, by the way – facing outside, I mean. When I turned my head toward the inside, I saw only a long staircase downwards. When I looked back out, I finally figured out where I was: on a rooftop.

Suddenly, a helicopter flew over the edge of the rooftop and flashed one of those blinding lights at me. I heard a familiar voice yell at someone to lower him onto the rooftop. A rope ladder fell down and Captain George Stacy climbed on. He ran over and found me instantly.

"Peter Parker?" he pondered. "What the hell are you doing here?"

I didn't quite know what to say to that – I didn't even know where I was, really.... Just that I was naked under some rubble in a rooftop. So I told him the half-truth. "I'm not sure, exactly.... The last thing I remember is walking out of mine and Harry's apartment.... My head hurts...."

Captain Stacy immediately recognized amnesia – now I had some time to plan out what I'd say once my "head clears".

Well, as it turned out, I was on Gwen's roof. Spider-Man had saved Gwen's life apparently. The Green Goblin was there too - he had attacked Gwen and Mary Jane and Spider-Man saved them. _Spider-Man saved them!_

I knew it. I was a hero. _Spider-Man saved them!_

_I saved them!_

But it wasn't the time for self-pride at that moment – the Captain still needed an explanation.

I said my head wasn't quite clear yet and asked about the fight. Apparently, the Goblin had dove right through Gwen's window – almost as if he was specifically targeting her or MJ. Well, they just ran into the kitchen and held off the Goblin with knives. At one time, he had gotten a little too close and got pricked by MJ's – he bled.

Well, that's when Spider-Man – in his familiar red and blue costume – showed up through another window. The two fought right in the middle of Gwen and MJ's apartment, tossing up furniture, shattering walls, and eventually falling outside and breaking three windows total. They fought in close combat in the street for a while and Goblin seemed to be gaining an edge. That's when Spider-Man leaped onto the rooftop. The Green Goblin followed, but no one saw what happened past that point.

Except me. It was quite clear that the Green Goblin had landed Spider-Man a good one – right into the rubble. Dunno where the costume went though. He must've thrown it somewhere before losing consciousness.

But anyway, MJ called the NYPD and Captain Stacy led the squad there. And they found me.

"I'm beginning to remember now," I said, finally thinking up a good story to tell them. "Yeah, that's right – I was coming to see Gwen –"

"Without your clothes?"

"What?" I had forgotten about that part, but I decided to improvise. "I'll get to that. So, you see, um, I was on my way here when I saw the Goblin – it must've been right before he attacked Gwen and MJ, yeah – and – well, I guess he noticed me noticing him – I mean he saw me seeing him – I mean –"

"I get it, Peter. Move on."

"Okay, so yeah – the Goblin attacked me. He threw me up here."

"And your clothes?"

"Oh, um, it was some sort of fiery thing – like, y'know small embers – more of just energy, but fiery enough to burn through thin layers. So, um, I guess they burned up...."

"Uh-huh...." He seemed a bit doubtful of my story at first – especially the Goblin fires part – but if you're stubborn enough about any lie, they'll believe it eventually.

Take this Lizard stuff, for instance. Apparently, some kids claim to have seen a man-sized lizard in the sewers last night – and the cops believe them! What a joke!

But anyway, it was morning. It was morning and I – or Spider-Man, depending upon your perspective – had just saved Gwen's life. I felt good. Plus, I got a police captain to believe a complete work of fantasy – that always makes your day, trust me....

---

Well, it was still pretty early and Warren's class wasn't for another hour, so I figured – hey, why not stop in with Octavius and see what's up at the lab. I know, he's annoying – but I was in a good mood!

And, of course, so was he.

"Peter, you're in early! Oh well, check this out – it's done!" He showed me that harness thingy and we spoke about the new Spider-Man/Green Goblin sighting.

"Connors still hasn't shown up, by the way – I told you he was one of them! It's so obvious!" I told him about the Lizard sightings. "Oh, that's no evidence! They were probably drugged up – or maybe just saying that for publicity – yeah, that's it. Kids'll do anything for attention – believe me!" I told him he was probably right. Heck, I'm sure he was....

But anyway, the important thing that happened that hour was only a few minutes before I had to go to Warren's class. We found Osborne – and he had found the empty holder where that formula I stole was supposed to be.

So Osborne made a huge announcement over the loudspeaker. It felt like school how he did that, but this wasn't "Flash Thompson to my office" at all – it was a lot more urgent.

I half-listened. "People of Oscorp," he began, "a most vile act has been committed here as of yesterday at around one. As many of you know, I, Norman Osborne, CEO of this company and a leading scientist of the country, have recently discovered a formula – a drug – which temporarily enhances the user's physical capabilities.

"And yesterday, that drug was stolen from me. Right out of my lab. Fresh off the Bunsen. I left for five minutes to buy myself a sandwich and came back to learn of this theft.

"Which is why I tell you now: if you have any idea of who may have performed this heinous crime, please alert me _immediately_. That man is a danger to himself and everyone around him.

"And to that man, I say this: be warned. In large quantities, that formula can be lethal. It's no fun tracking you if you're dead.

"Luckily, I still have the conceptual diagrams and so I can continue making it. And, assuming it doesn't get stolen, it will still be possible to sell it as initially planned.

"Thank you for your attention. Now please return to your usual work."

Octavius was ecstatic. _He was right! Connors is using Oscorp technology! It's that drug! Temporary, did he say? Oh well, let's worry about that later!_

"Oh, but you have to go to your classes now, don't you, Peter?"

I thought of asking Octavius if he was going to "turn in" Connors, but decided it best not to give him any ideas. Even though Connors was probably the Green Goblin. It seemed to fit. Then again, maybe we were jumping to conclusions too quickly.

---

Anyway, Warren's physics class proceeded as always. Flash Thompson's spitballs, my sneers at Eddie Brock, Mary Jane Watson's reading, Harry's chatter about rent, Herman Shultz's misery, and Randy Robertson's yelling at Kenny Kong. Except one thing. Gwen Stacy was missing – her chair was empty.

After class, MJ told me that Gwen wanted to talk. Urgently. Now. I was kind of forced to go back to the ruined apartment with her. I wondered why Gwen was still there, but MJ said that they just hadn't found a new apartment yet. Plus it was private. Really private. Mary Jane didn't stick around. She left me and Gwen there. Alone.

And silence. Of course, silence. And of course, it was once again awkward silence. I _hate_ awkward silence. So I said, "what's up?"

Didn't help, though. Still silence. Heck, the silence was _more_ awkward now. It was _more_ awkward silence. Until Gwen finally spoke up.

"Peter, what really happened last night?"

I blinked. Hadn't expected that. "I told you," I said, sticking with my original excuse, "I was on my way over here when the Green Goblin attac–"

"Peter," Gwen interrupted, "I know you're lying."

I wanted to ask how she knew, but instead I just said "I'm not" like a complete idiot.

"The Goblin wouldn't have attacked MJ and me if you were outside. I didn't tell my dad this, Peter, but we weren't his target."

It was the first time anyone but Octavius and myself had referred to the Goblin as a "he". Not an "it", but a "he". Like an actual person. Like a human.

"Peter, listen to me – the Goblin – he can speak. And he spoke to us last night. It was hard to hear, a grunt more than a word, but I could still make it out. And he was looking for something – someone. Peter, he was looking for you."


	5. Observations

"_PPPRRRRRRKKKKRRRRRRRRR!_"

A grunt more than a word, but still a word nonetheless.

"_PPPRRRRRRKKKKRRRRRRRRR! BRRRRRNNGGG MMME PPTTTRRRRR PPPRRRRRRKKKKRRRRRRRRR!_"

He knew who I was. And now he was looking for me. _Me._ Not Spider-Man, but _me_. And he was targeting those I loved.

"Peter, what's going on?" Gwen. The beautiful Gwen. She was attacked – nearly killed – because he was looking for me.

I wanted to tell her the truth. I wanted to tell her how I was Spider-Man. Mostly I wanted to tell her it would all be all right. But instead I just told her that the human mind instinctively confuses words and sounds with ones it recognizes. I'm a veterinary idiot.

It wasn't going to just go away – the Green Goblin was still around – he was still looking for me and he'd still use any methods by which to find me....

I was just a kid.... Sure, I was also a scientist – I'd be graduating in a month – but I was also a kid.... I was 21.... I was a kid....

A kid....

---

The next few weeks solemnly slugged by. Octavius began investigating Connors' disappearance as he helped me with those web things. Kong scored the winning touchdown and suddenly began acting a little more mature. After Liz Allen broke up with Flash, he too stopped teasing so much. Eddie Brock was fired after being beaten in a contest by some other photographer, Lance Bannon or something. Felicia Hardy moved into Randy Robertson's place, leaving the apartment wide open for Gwen and MJ. And Harry finally stopped taking my excuses about the rent.

And kicked me out.

And so I wound up right back at Aunt May's house in Forest Hills. She implemented a curfew – in bed at eleven o'clock. I had to be back each night for dinner and no friends over past that time. She woke me up each morning to go to college and work and tucked me in each evening.

Taking the formula got harder and harder each night, as Aunt May got more and more suspicious. I wound up having to stash it somewhere outside in order to avoid random bedroom searches. I would lock the door and climb out the window, using my bed-sheets as a rope. Then I'd inject myself, go through the usual flash of red and blue and green and black out.

I'd usually wake up in bed – never dressed though – Spider-Man must've been too lazy. There were only a few occasions when I'd find myself in all the wrong places and making up excuses for Captain Stacy. He didn't seem to believe me, but he couldn't prove anything either way.

And Spider-Man kept saving lives. He kept stopping the Green Goblin. Heck, everyone in Warren's class seems to have been saved by him at some point or another. Except Herman Shultz. I guess he was beneath the Goblin's notice. Aunt May was saved a bunch of times too.

Oh yeah, and a few others also noted that the Green Goblin knew me by name. I kept with the excuses, though, and only Gwen Stacy didn't really fall for them....

---

Connors returned, by the way. I met him for the first time a week before graduation. He had only one arm (Octavius said that he lost the other in a war). He said he had made some "experimental errors" and had to run away due to some "unforeseen side-effects". And that Spider-Man had ultimately saved him. We asked him for the details, but that's all he said. So he wasn't the Goblin. Heck, he got caught in a fight between Spidey and the Goblin one time – he and Warren both. It turned out that they were old college buddies.

So Octavius came up with a brand new conspiracy theory, and he shared with me, chipper as ever, how it was actually Norman Osborne.

"Norman said that the formula wasn't stolen until the day _after_ Spider-Man and the Green Goblin's first appearance – implying that they each must have had it beforehand. I don't know about the other, but the one _must_ be him! Who else would have the formula?"

Well, I did, for one, but I didn't tell him that. Octavius also pointed out how Norman seemed to be avoiding examining the theft, as if he was hiding something. I said that if he was, he probably wouldn't have even told us about the theft, but that it could have been an act.

Of course, it could have been that Norman _had_ in fact investigated it and that was how the Goblin knew I was Spider-Man. Then again, the fingerprints I left were useless as long as he didn't have anything to compare it to. Then again, there were probably security cameras. Well, it made sense, I guess.

---

I kept up the Spidey charade for the remainder of the week. The Lizard sightings finally ended – those people must've finally realized that no one believed them. But anyway, the complications occurred towards the end of the week, a few days before graduation in fact – I ran out of formula.

Now, considering what happened the last time I stole the formula, I figured that this time, I'd have to plan it out better as to not get caught.

When? The science fair was the next night at nine o'clock. I could present my stuff and then run to get back to the office before Norman.

---

I was still going through my plans when I arrived at the science fair. Even as I walked up to the table set out for me and prepared the demonstration of my glue things – Octavius called them web-shooters – I was still planning it out step-by-step. I couldn't afford any mess-ups – including peeks from security cameras.

I had asked Octavius about them, saying that I wanted to feel secure or some trash like that. Turns out that it's actually not that hard to put out a camera. First, I'd have to take care of the head of security, some guy named Thomas Fireheart. Then I'd just have to pop out the tape and there wouldn't be anything for it to transmit to.

Then my little thought bubble popped when Herman Shultz suddenly came over. He had the table next to mine and had come to wish me good luck. I swear, I completely lost my concentration – I felt like putting web in his eye! (I didn't only because it's a key rule never to reveal your project before judgment.)

"So Peter," Herman said in his high nasally voice, "why do you wanna win so badly?" I looked straight at him for the first time all year. He was a skinny little dweeb whose hair was already graying at age 21. He had buckteeth – yellow buckteeth – and huge glasses with tape down the middle, magnifying his eyes to the size of a giant squid's. Especially in his starch-white lab coat, he looked like every definition a geek, nerd, and loser.

"One of the judges, Norman Osborn, is my boss down at Oscorp," I explained. "I'm trying to impress him."

"Gee, a job at Oscorp.... You have it all...." I told him that I actually got a much lower job than I had anticipated. "Pete, you have _a_ job! I've been beneath everyone's notice my entire life." (I recalled noting him even beneath the Green Goblin's notice.) "I'm hoping to show people what I'm made of in this competition – prove that I'm not just a complete loser! If I win, maybe I'll be able to finally feel a sense of accomplishment!"

I laughed.

You have to admit, it sounded ridiculous. I mean, it was a science fair and it wasn't exactly going to determine our entire fate as human beings. So, yeah, laughter.

Then the judges showed up – three of them.

Norman Osborne was the first, wearing his usual suit and tie which called out "Hey, everybody! I'm the CEO of a company which could kill you all in two seconds _and_ the city's leading scientific mind!" I tried to imagine what his expression what be like when I took that formula right out from under his nose....

The next judge I recognized as another of the higher-ups at Oscorp, Roderick Kingsley. He was pretty much Osborne's chief advisor, plus the head of mechanics. In fact, Kingsley was quite famous for helping Osborne create some sort of glider-thingy – a flying drone with missiles and stuff. I heard that he also wanted to make it so that you could ride on the thing, but Osborne called it off as too risky and really unnecessary.

The final judge I didn't know, but had heard of – Bart Hamilton. He didn't work at Oscorp, but supposedly had partnered with Osborne in the past to help unveil some sort of state of mind – like marijuana, but legal. Hamilton was pretty much the Freud of our day – a brilliant psychologist with many revolutionary ideas and concepts.

The three traveled through all of the others. Okay, some of them had slightly interesting stuff – I'll admit it – but it was all really just a joke compared to the web-shooters. Of course, I was really more concerned with getting out of there and taking that formula. I hadn't expected to be viewed so late in the process – literally the last one!

But anyway, they were up to Herman Shultz. He finally unveiled his own invention – gauntlets which can emit vibrations at both short distances and long ones. It was impressive, really – I thought he was gonna beat me for a second there, but then Norman Osborne asked, "What's the purpose of this invention?"

Shultz just stared at him, blank-faced. Hamilton sighed and Kingsley scribbled something on his notepad, then they moved on to me.

"What do _you_ have to show us, Mr. Parker?" Osborne demanded in his regular "I'm better than you" tone of voice.

I showed them the web-shooters – how it could stick two adjacent objects to each other – sort of like a glue gun but from up to twenty yards away. Plus, I demonstrated the stringier feature, pulling a few objects towards me and even moving them a bit to the side. Finally, I webbed the ceiling and zipped up.

It worked. The judges loved it. I was first place.

Shultz was sixth. Right above the slackers.

But whatever. I didn't really care – I just needed to get the formula. I think Herman Shultz had tried to congratulate me on my way out, but if he did, I just ignored him – I had far more pressing matters on my mind.

---

How? Well, this one took a bit of thought, but I eventually decided on the direct approach.

Once in the office I'd bring a little chemical of my own. Y'see, Octavius told me once that all the safes at Oscorp were made of steel – so I mixed a little something to melt through steel. It could even get me through the hinges on the door.

Really, it was quite pathetic how easy it would all be.

---

I eventually got to Oscorp at around eleven o'clock (I had missed the curfew, but whatever – I didn't want to miss a night of this – I mean Green Goblin wouldn't, right?) and checked in with Deborah Whitman at the front desk, saying that I left something with Octavius. The hallways were empty – everyone was either doing work in their labs or at home. I aimed straight for the security place and knocked out that Fireheart guy with a hit on the head before he noticed me. I ejected the tape – wearing gloves, of course – I had brought them in my pocket – and snapped it in two over my knee. Osborne's office was now concealed.

So I snuck over there and used my alloy melting thingy on the hinges, being careful not to make too much noise. Not only would Osborne be back any second, but there were still a lot of old guys working overtime.

I sneaked over to the safe and took out that chemical which melts steel again. Dripping it little by little onto the safe, the steel slowly melted away. There wouldn't be any tripwires – there weren't in Octavius' safe – so I could just take the formula and run.

The safe was open – and there were now rows upon rows upon rows of formula. Half the safe was formula. I remembered back to that first day, seeing all those gizmos and gadgets – now most of them had been cleared out. There were still a few miscellaneous items on the bottom shelves – expensive equipment, broken inventions, a few incomplete stuff, some other chemicals – a few syringes here and there, too (though they seemed to be paired with other stuff and not the formula). But the upper shelves were just vial upon vial of that smoky formula which was in fact a liquid.

I decided to take as much as I could carry – if Osborne _was_ the Goblin, I wanted to get rid of his supply, I guess. I stuffed it into my pocket until it was bulging and then I still stuffed a few more before moving to the other pocket.

_Osborne would be back any minute,_ I kept telling myself. _I had to get out of there – right then, I had to get out! _I sped up – a few of the tubes fell to floor and shattered, spilling their contents onto the floor. Whatever – no big deal. _He was on his way – _I continued jamming my pockets with more and more. _He's here!_

"Hello, Peter. I thought I might find you here eventually."

I froze upon hearing that unmistakable cold-hearted voice. Norman Osborne had arrived.

My mind rushed with fear and confusion. _What could I do?_

"I've suspected you for quite some time, now. Tell me, Peter, who are you really?"

I was only half-listening – that's always how it was with Osborne and besides, I had to think fast if I wanted to get out of there....

"Peter...."

I couldn't think with his voice in the background – it was too confusing! I couldn't think, I couldn't think, I couldn't think!

"Peter."

I did all I knew how to do. Maybe I thought he'd be of some help, or maybe I just wanted to wake up somewhere else, but I did what I knew how to do. I grabbed one of the vials as fast as I could, uncorked it, and poured it into a syringe.

"You know, Peter, you're supposed to drink it...."

I injected it.

And there was red and blue. And green.

A lot of green.


	6. Analysis

I awoke to Aunt May's pounding on the door.

"_PETER!_" she was yelling. "_PETER, GET UP NOW!_"

I was in bed. Blankets were on and everything (except for the clothes, of course).

So I got up, threw on a few rags, and then went to my closet. Vials of formula sat on the floor – fine. Spider-Man remembered them. Perfect.

I went downstairs to find Aunt May sitting at the kitchen table, stern look and all. You know what I mean, when they're really, really mad, and just waiting for you so they can have a talk, which actually means a yelling hissyfit.

And that's what she did – yelled at me non-stop over how I wasn't home by curfew and how she was worried and how now I had graduation.

Right, graduation. Forgot about that part.

Thankfully, Aunt May went out with her friend, Anna, and left me to get myself ready. She said we'd talk more thoroughly later on.

So after she left, I poured some cereal and turned on the news.

It was Betty Brant.

"Last night, Spider-Man and the Green Goblin let loose another brawl." _No duh, what else is new._ "But this time, the two superpowers arrived on scene crashing out of a thirty-ninth floor window – that of the office of Norman Osborne, widely known as the CEO of Oscorp Center of Research and Development and celebrated as one of the country's leading minds. Though some onlookers claim to have seen a figure jump onto the building shortly beforehand, this is yet to be confirmed. As for the fate of Norman Osborne –"

I turned off the TV.

Well, I guess that old Octavius was right. Signs seemed to be pointing to Osborne. Of course, if the Green Goblin arrived from outside of Oscorp....

Whatever, it didn't matter. I finished my breakfast and then went back up to load a syringe and pack it, just to be safe. Then I tossed on those blue graduation gowns – they're really uncomfortable – and started walking down to the ceremony.

I couldn't stop thinking, though, about the night before. Why didn't I leave when I had the chance? Why exactly did I use the formula? And where the hell was Osborne now?

Well, I knew where his kid was – he'd be at the graduation. Well, I _thought_ I knew where Harry was – turned out that he ditched. Don't ask me why, but he ditched.

Everyone else was there, though – my first encounter was with Randy and Felicia. They wished me good luck and I wished them the same. Then I asked about Harry.

"Don't know exactly where he is," Randy suggested, "but wasn't his dad stuck in Spider-Goblin crossfire last night?"

"Something like that, but I wouldn't worry. Spider-Man's more than capable of saving him, so I'm sure that Mr. Osborne's all right." How naïve.

I told them that Spider-Man wasn't the freaking messiah and that it's just plain stupid to think he'll always be right around the corner to save the day at any given moment. They just looked at me funny and turned away.

I felt a sharp elbow in my ribs. I spun around to find Flash Thompson and Kenny Kong grimacing at me.

"Parker," Flash sneered, "shut the hell up. It's about time this city had a hero, someone to look up to, to admire. The last thing anyone needs is your pessimism to ruin it all. And no, he's not always gonna be around. So let's enjoy it while we can."

At that, he and Kong turned away. I needed to retort.

"So Flash, what are _you_ doing after you graduate?" No reaction. They just kept walking.

I wondered if anyone had laughed. But no one was even paying attention. Except Herman Shultz, that is. He was paying close attention to Flash. It was kinda stalky.

"Hey, Pete." I looked behind myself to see Gwen.

"Hey."

"Y'know, the ceremony doesn't start for an hour. It's very unlike you to come so early."

"Well, my boss is either dead or a supervillain, so I thought it best to come now."

She blinked at this. It was actually pretty funny how she had no clue what to say.... Finally just shrugged it off.

"Well, this era of our life is coming to an end," she sighed. "Never thought it would come...."

"No biggie."

"It's the dawn of a new age.... We won't be kids anymore in a few hours – we'll be able to lead our lives."

"Until eleven, that is.... Curfew...."

"Peter, you aren't going to tell me that you're not excited about this, are you?"

I thought on it for a second.

I mean, technically speaking, I already had a job. Plus I was a super-dude by night, so I pretty much had nothing left to do. My life was set. "Not really, no."

"Peter, you can't live a life as a lab assist.... You do know that, right?"

"Can't live a life without a job either, Gwen.... You do know _that_, right?"

She was taken aback. "Peter, are you drunk?" I laughed. I told her I was a bit tired on account of I had just woken up. It was a lie, of course – I really just.... felt.... different.... It's kind of hard to explain, but I felt like there was.... something.... coming....

Pretty ridiculous, huh?

The ceremony started up and we all sat alphabetically in that little system they had created for us. We sat through their boring speeches (I had been asked to do one, but I turned it down) and that lousy choir. Then they called us up one by one and gave us those paper diplomas – it would've been easier to forge one, really, than sit through all that.

But it finally ended and everyone but Herman Schultz threw their hats into the air like some kind of bad movie – I followed through just because it was really uncomfortable to wear that stupid thing.

Herman Schultz was the first one to leave. After the ceremony, he just walked away. Then I was grabbed by the elbow and hauled into a nearby building.

Gwen Stacy was the one who had dragged me up there – we were now alone on the second floor of the library, looking down through the glass windows into the courtyard below. "Now," she said, "tell me exactly what's going on."

I stared for a second – silence, of course – and then finally asked what she meant.

"First you wind up naked on my roof. Then that Goblin guy starts looking for you. Now he has attacked everyone in the class – I'm not stupid, Peter. I was talking with Liz Allen – she also heard the Goblin call your name. And why do you think we've all been attacked at some point or another? Now, Norman Osborne's been attacked – I've been asking around and I heard about that too. Peter, I know something's bothering you. Tell me – why is the Green Goblin after you? _What did you do?_"

Silence. It wasn't really awkward silence, though, as much as it was suspenseful. Like in a movie just before the killer is revealed.

"I'm Spider-Man," I told her. Brief silence.

"Well then, _Spider-Man_, what's going on here?"

"A month ago, I found this formula of Osborne's – some sort of strength enhancer –"

"– you mean a steroid?"

"Call it what you wish, but that's what turns me into Spider-Man. I inject myself with it each night and turn into Spider-Man and he saves people. What's the problem?"

"Peter," Gwen sighed, "you're not Spider-Man."

I laughed. She's never quite been a believer, Gwen.

"Peter, whatever this thing is, it's just a drug. It's no world-saving solution, Peter."

"Well then, why's the Goblin looking for me?"

She thought about this for a minute. It was silent again. Then she stopped thinking – I could just tell she had stopped thinking, but wasn't saying anything. Which, of course, means awkwardness. Awkward silence. It's back. I broke it.

"_Well?_"

"Peter," she asserted, "have you ever stopped to even consider if –"

There was a loud rumble from outside. We both turned to the window to see Herman Schultz standing right in the middle of the courtyard. He had ditched his graduation gowns for a casual day-to-day rag. Plus he had some sort of gloves on – I recognized them, though – they were his science fair project – those vibro-gauntlet things.

Oh yeah, and one was aimed at a wall a couple dozen yards from him – it was in pieces. Guess that's the purpose of the invention – don't know why he didn't tell Osborne that.

Herman Shultz. What a shocker.

"_Everyone put your hands up!_" he was yelling. "_You have nothing to fear from me as long I don't recognize you...._"

I took a second to ponder how long he had been planning that battle cry, then turned back to Gwen.

"I'll prove it to you," I said, and pulled off my own graduation gown. Underneath, I wore pants, a shirt, and a jacket. It was much more comfortable, but that really didn't matter.

"Peter, what are you –"

I reached into my inside coat pocket and pulled out a loaded syringe.

"Peter, don't!" Gwen shouted out, grabbing my hand, but I just shoved her away.

"I'll make a believer out of you yet."

Then came the injection.

And the colors.

Red and blue. Green. Red and blue. Green. And blonde. And crimson. And the blonde and the crimson mixed together.

---

The first thing I saw was the river. With blood trickling in the water. A bleeding river.

The moonlight was reflected in it – that crystal-clear full moon. And the stars. The moon and the stars on a bleeding river.

It was dark where I was. My eyes had to take a moment to adjust, but I could see stripes of light shining through some sort of wooden awning overhead – a pier. Under the pier. Under the pier staring at the moon and the stars on a bleeding river.

I turned my head a bit to the right. There was a spider, but it seemed to be in pain somehow. I don't know why, but it just lay there, twitching. Twitching. Squirming in pain, it twitched towards me. As if reaching out for my help.

But it was meaningless. Insignificant. What would I care what happens to it? So instead, I pounded my fist down and put it out of its misery. It was worthless.

And then I turned again, this time to the left. There was a body. Coated in blood. The river's wound.

She had long blonde hair and blue gowns.

I stirred my own naked body and crawled over and felt for a pulse, but only the slightest flicker of life could be felt. She wasn't gone yet, but would be in a few seconds.

And then she opened her eyes for one last time and moaned. I rubbed my hand against her cheek, wondering how much time was left. Would the seconds turn into minutes? Please, just one more minute?

But they didn't. They never do.

And she moaned, "Peter", and she sighed, "promise me", and I nodded and she said "no more green –" and she let out her last breath of life as her eyes faded away.


	7. Conclusion

"It was an amazing and tragic scene at the Empire State University graduation ceremony today. When straight-A student Herman Schultz arrived equipped with advanced weapons, the now infamous Green Goblin came in out of one of the nearby buildings (investigations on how it got in there are currently underway). In almost the same instant, the Goblin's consistent sparring partner Spider-Man jumped in and so a three-way fight broke out.

"Though most students fled the scene immediately, Schultz was gravely injured during only the first few minutes and was soon after rushed to a hospital, where he is now on life support. Another student, identified as Gwen Stacy, daughter of NYPD's Captain Stacy, was actually targeted by the Goblin once Schultz was defeated.

"As the brawl progressed through the streets, the monster ultimately injured her, captured her, and brought her to the nearby Queensboro Bridge, where the fight resumed on top of one of the bridge's towers. However, the bridge's supports were weakened during the battle and the tower eventually collapsed, sending both the Green Goblin and Gwen Stacy into the East River below.

"If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of either one, please contact the number on your screen.

"In other news...."

I really hate that lady.

Did I call the number? No. Of course not. She's dead. What's the use? _She's dead._

And it was late. I had to go home. Curfew, y'know. So I pulled some clothes out of the dumpster and headed for the house.

Aunt May was waiting for me there with Captain Stacy. Great. Just what I needed....

"Peter, we were so worried about you!" Aunt May leapt to her feet and bear-hugged me so tight I choked. "Where were you? Are you okay? What happened? Have you seen Gwen? What are you wearing?"

"Ach! I'm fine! I just walked around a bit! I'm all right! Get off!"

I shoved her away and then Captain Stacy came up to me.

"So you haven't seen her then, Peter? You.... you really don't know anything?"

"_She's dead._"

Wasn't it obvious? Anyway, it was his turn to have a loved one die. Maybe next time he had to break the news, he'd finally get it. His eyes were getting all teary now.

"Peter, how could you say something like that?" Aunt May gasped. "Have you seen her?"

"Isn't it obvious? She was plunged into the East River and she already had wounds. If she hasn't been found by now, she's long gone." I turned to Captain Stacy. "And where were you? Where was your team? Why are here and not looking for your _dead daughter?_" He ran out the front door.

Aunt May and I just stood there a second in awkward silence.

"Peter, we need to talk," she finally said.

"Yeah, I know, it's late – I'm sorry."

"Peter, what is this?"

I turned towards Aunt May and saw a syringe rolling in her palm. A misty liquid steamed inside.

"I don't know."

"_You don't know?_"

"I don't. Where'd you find that?"

"Peter, you are going to tell me right this instant –"

"I told you – I don't know. Where'd you find that?"

"You do know."

"I don't. Where'd you find that?"

"_On your closet floor!_"

Awkward silence again.

"Peter, you are going to tell me right this instant what this is."

"I don't know. What were you doing in my closet?"

"I was doing the _laundry_, Peter. Now what is this?"

"It's mine. Give it back."

"So you do know?"

"Give it back."

"Peter, is this a drug?"

"It's mine. Give it back."

"Peter, are you on drugs?"

"No. Give it back."

"How do I know, Peter? How do I know this isn't the latest trend amongst all your friends from school?"

"All my friends are dead. Give it back."

"How do I know this isn't just the beginning of some wild adventure?"

"It isn't. Give it back."

"How do I know this isn't a steroid?"

"Give it back."

"Peter, _you are going to tell me what the hell this is right now!_"

"_Or what? You'll ground me? I just graduated college! Jesus Christ! Give it back!_" I grabbed it out of her hand and ran upstairs. None of her business what I'm doing with my time. The curfew was bad enough – I didn't _need_ to put up with this. So I started packing the formulas.

Then I heard her on the way up the stairs. She said something, but I didn't pay attention to what. I just grabbed the vials and a syringe (only one of those, of course – too pointy) and climbed out the window.

And I ran.

I don't even know where I was running to. I crossed the bridge and I passed ESU. I felt like I was getting close.

_Just around the corner, now,_ I was thinking, _and she'll be there. You didn't do this again. She'll be there._

But when I turned the corner, I ran into that sluttish Mary Jane Watson.

"_HOW MANY TIMES DO I NEED TO TELL YOU PEOPLE??? I'M __**FINE!!!!!!!!!!!**__ LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_"

I shoved her to the ground and kept on running. In the opposite direction now.

People were staring. I didn't need _that_, either. So I turned into an alley and kept on running.

It was night, after all. It was time to inject.

But the usual wouldn't be enough; I poured the whole vial into the syringe and it pierced my skin but it wasn't working fast enough so I shot in more.

At last, red and blue and green – that color was the only ones I seemed to want to see these days.

Red and blue.

Green.

Red and blue. Crimson.

Green.

---

Dawn was breaking when I woke up. Or dusk. I couldn't tell. Dark, though. Very dark.

I was in an alley – might've been the same alley I was in before. I couldn't tell. But the vials and syringe I had used were there, too. I guess Spider-Man picked 'em up. Or maybe it was just the same alley. Who knows. Or cares.

I was sitting behind a dumpster. That helped in picking out some rags to wear. Slipped my stuff into it, too. Then I went out.

I wondered how the fight had went down. It didn't seem like I had lost, even though I wasn't in bed – Spider-Man had probably just opted to stay away from that witch of an aunt. Fine by me.

I walked around a bit until I found Times Square. It was a curious site. I mean, barely anyone had been in any of the other streets, and I figured it was 'cause of the increasing darkness. But there was a huge crowd of people in Times Square, like on New Year's but without the ball. And they seemed upset. And one of the huge TVs was in the center, playing out the last fight between Spider-Man and the Green Goblin.

I watched on – it was mostly over, though. Spider-Man had the Goblin in a headlock, leaning in towards some loose electric wires. Actually, it looked like they were in Times Square – not that alley. Told you I had won.

But then, Goblin flipped over and Spider-Man was thrown against that triangle building – the Daily Bugle. That's when I noticed that the real Daily Bugle was on the ground. But it wasn't on the TV. I guessed there was a lot more to go.

Then the Green Goblin ran over and punched Spider-Man deep into building, blood dripping from the Spider's back as he squirmed in pain. I felt my own back for the wound.

The Spider was twitching now, twitching towards the Goblin, helplessly and worthlessly. The Goblin just jumped upwards and landed a good blow to the Bugle, which suddenly toppled down on top of the Spider.

"Oh my God...." I turned to look for who had said that, some old man in like his 60s.

As the Green Goblin left the way I had come, Betty Brant's incessant voice sounded throughout the square. "When the two fighters, whom so many New Yorkers have been touched by in these past months, started brawling in the middle of Times Square, many had the strange feeling it would be a final battle. Now, as such a premonition proves true, we are all devastated by what appears to be the greatest tragedy since 9-11."

What was going on? I felt panicked.... That couldn't be true.... _I_ was Spider-Man.... It couldn't be true....

"We have all felt the presence of Spider-Man in some way or another. Many of us have been saved by him. Many of us have come to look to him as an icon of good will and justice. Many of us loved him like we would a father. And we are all now feeling his absence...."

Impossible, just impossible! I couldn't be buried under the rubble because I was standing right there!

"I can't believe this is happening...." I turned to that old man. He seemed familiar somehow.

"It – it isn't," I stammered. "It's impossible."

He started silently crying. He seemed wise.

"So many people's lives were saved by that man.... He saved more people in a few months than our government has in the past ten years.... He showed us what is goodness.... But even more, he touched us on a personal level.... He was amongst the best of us...."

Impossible, Spider-Man was _me_! I wasn't dead, was I?

I had to say something.

"No, he _is_ amongst the best of us! He has to be alive!" The man looked at me. In his eye, I could see that he'd never judge anyone by their race, persuasion, or even their past.

"I know what you mean," he told me. "Spider-Man was more than a man. He was an icon. No matter what happens to the body, his message will live on."

He seemed capable of finding good in everyone. "What message is that?"

"With great power comes great responsibility."

_With great power comes...._

"_What the hell is this?_" He stared at me and blinked. "_Who are you? Who do think you are? You're not! Get away from me!_" I shoved him aside and ran off.

Betty Brant was still talking as I ran away from that whiny crowd. "He's dying. He was taken to NYU Hospitals Center, but they say he has little chance. So instead of futile prayer, let us reminisce in the memories he has offered us. Let us pay our respects by respecting the mask. And let us not move on without effect, but let us instead move on in the path he has set...."

---

NYU Hospitals Center. I couldn't just do nothing – something was wrong. I knew that much. _I was Spider-Man, yet Spider-Man was dying...._

I charged into the hospital to find another small crowd. Everyone was crying. Some silently, some openly. I was the only one without a reddened face.

I ran past them to the lady at the desk.

"Where's Spider-Man?" The lady stared at me, confused.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not allowed to reveal that information." There were tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Please, I'm – I'm Peter Parker."

"Who?"

"I...." Did she know who I was? "I'm a friend of Spider-Man. Please let me in...."

"Are you a reporter?" she snapped. I'll admit I was taken aback.

"_No!_"

Awkward silence as a kid in the corner sniffled and a lonesome woman cried out.

"I'm a friend of Spider-Man. Please let me in – it's urgent."

She nodded, solemnly, and got up to lead the way. We walked through the halls past all of the crying doctors until she finally pointed to a door.

"Doctor Bromwell is seeing him right now. When he's done, you may go in." I told her okay and waited for her to leave.

But I wasn't going to wait for them to finish. I needed answers now.

I knocked on the door as loud as I could, but there was no immediate response, so I pounded on it a bit more until the doctor finally opened the door. Just a crack, though – he only stuck his head out.

"Excuse me, son, but I'm operating right now. I understand that this is tough on you – it's tough on everyone – but it would be helpful if you could please wait patiently outside."

"_I_ heard you couldn't _help_ him, so why _try?_"

The doctor narrowed his eyes.

"What's your name, son?"

"I'm Peter Parker, let me in."

"Peter.... My son's named Peter.... Please, Peter.... Whatever it is, I'll get to you in a minute...."

"It can't _wait_ a minute! Let me in!"

"Please, Peter...." He sighed. "What is it, Peter?"

"Let me in, I need to see Spider-Man."

"Why's that?"

"I need to see Spider-Man, let me in."

"Peter.... I'm afraid I can't do that.... He's ill.... He needs rest...."

"Let me in."

"Peter, please.... Are you his friend....? Do you know who he is....? Peter, please...."

"No, no, just let me in."

"Peter, I'm sorry, but I can't allow everyone to just walk in on this man.... He _is_ a man, Peter, and he needs rest.... He needs privacy...."

"Let me in!"

"Peter, there's a reason he wears the mask.... Please, try to understand...."

"_Let me in!_"

"Peter, please, I –"

"_That isn't Spider-Man! I am!_"

The doctor was taken aback by this at first.

"Peter, now, you know that's not true...."

"One month ago, I stole this formula thing from Norman Osborne!"

"Peter, I.... Norman Osborne? One month? It was longer than –"

"My uncle was killed 'cause everyone was afraid to help him out against a burglar!"

"I'm sorry to hear that Peter, but...."

"I inject myself with the formula every night and I turn into Spider-Man and I _save people!_"

"But, Peter.... You just can't be –"

"Even the _Green Goblin himself_ knows I'm Spider-Man! _He says my name!_"

"Peter, I.... Are you sure you're not misinterpreting....?"

"I made web-shooters and everything!"

"Web-shooters....? Spider-Man never had –"

"My girlfriend was _killed_ by the Green Goblin! She was thrown off a bridge!"

"A bridge....? Gwen Stacy....? You –"

"Whoever's in there isn't Spider-Man! _I'm_ Spider-Man! _What the hell is going on here, doctor? I came here for answers! Now! Give! Me! Answers!_"

There was awkward silence again. So silent I could hear my own deep breaths and fast heartbeat. I could hear the ticking of the doctor's watch. I could hear the prolonged hum of the machinery inside. But I couldn't hear my thoughts.

"_YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME! FINE THEN! I'LL SHOW YOU!_"

Before he could even react, I reached into my inside pocket and pulled out the syringe and shot myself with that steamy green formula.

But this time, there was no flash of colors. There was no flash of red and blue. There was no flash of green.

This time, there was only a slow fade to black.


End file.
